Chapter Two
LeAuntiez sailed through the cool night sky above Protectorate Headquarters, propelled by the occasional flap of his massive wings. He needed these nocturnal flights to clear his mind and center his being. Each day presented its own challenges, but today had been particularly trying.
His podmate Bron, Chancellor Bronsen Savator to the rest of the Protectorate, had been more surly than usual this morning. Bron’s bad mood was due in part to LeAuntiez’s failure to locate a known traitor. A lack LeAuntiez was desperate to rectify. If he could just—
Awareness jarred him out of his musings, an impulse strong enough to disrupt the tranquil night. Something was wrong. She was in danger. Without questioning his instincts or trying to understand who ‘she’ was, he turned his head from side to side, scanning as well as listening. He could sense malevolent energy, but was unable to pinpoint the source.
Protect her! Save her! The words were not spoken, but they echoed so clearly in his mind they might as well have been shouted.
He circled, gliding in a wide arc as he searched for the source of the disturbance. The disruptive energy grew stronger, guiding him though the danger remained unseen. Then he heard it clearly, the terrified screams of a female.
Locking on to the location, he dove, wings curled tightly against his body. There at the edge of the fighter lot, three males had a female pinned to the ground. Fury surged through his system and a war cry tore from his throat. Females, especially genetically compatible females, were the most precious resource in the universe. Who would be craven enough to abuse one?
The ground raced toward him at breakneck speed. He waited until the last possible moment to spread his wings. Assessing the scene with one angry look, he swatted the primary assailant back with the power of one wing. The villain hit the ground ten feet away, senseless from the force of the blow. His two assistants cowered, arms over their heads, bodies trembling.
“Please, sir,” one dared to speak. “This is not what it looks like.”
The female scrambled up off the ground and ran toward LeAuntiez. Instead of flinging herself against him as he’d expected, she ducked beneath his wing and stood behind him, arms crossed across her breasts. He couldn’t punish the attackers without further traumatizing her, so he summoned his men with a strong telepathic pulse. Not all of the Brokvata were Celestian like him, but basic telepathy was a prerequisite for acceptance into the Protectorate’s elite guard.
Urrya, LeAuntiez’s half-brother, arrived first. Though only half Celestian, Urrya could manifest wings. He landed next to LeAuntiez and easily identified the dilemma. He reached for the female, but LeAuntiez blocked his path. “Deal with them.” He motioned toward the dishonorable males as he turned toward the female.
She backed up as soon as he faced her, so LeAuntiez dissolved his wings. “I will not harm you.” He held his hands up palms out, but moved no closer. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, visibly shaking. “They were…They almost…”
“You’re safe now. No one will ever harm you again.” He felt the vow with a conviction that shocked him. He could no longer ignore the urges. She had drawn him here, and now he wanted, no, needed to touch her, to feel that she was safe.
Her lips trembled and a fresh rush of tears trailed down her cheeks. She took another step back, but her legs wobbled, and then her knees gave out.
LeAuntiez rushed forward and swept her into his arms. Two more Brokvata had arrived, still LeAuntiez hesitated to leave. Her attackers must pay for what they were attempting. Abusing any female resulted in harsh punishment, but harming a potential mate meant death.
“Urrya, do you have this?” he asked without turning around. He didn’t want his men to see her naked body. Only he, and possibly Bron, would see her, touch her, and ultimately claim her. He’d had no idea these instincts could be triggered by anyone who wasn’t at least part Celestian, but the female in his arms was his soulmate. There were ways of confirming his suspicions—highly enjoyable ways—but already LeAuntiez was nearly certain.
“Do you want me to secure them or deal with them here?” His brother sounded as furious as LeAuntiez felt.
“Secure them. Bron will need to decide when and how they die.”
“Understood.”
Without further ado, LeAuntiez manifested his wings and leapt into the air, heading for the house he shared with Bron rather than the building where the potential mates had been assigned. He couldn’t protect her unless he was with her, and he desperately wanted to protect her.
Unlike the Ventori, Celestians didn’t require a mate to procreate. That’s why so many Celestian hybrids populated the galaxy. However, to truly be content, each Celestian longed for, often spent their lives searching for, their soulmate, that one person who could complete them in every way. LeAuntiez had never heard of a Celestian soul bonding with a human, but he couldn’t ignore what he was feeling right now.
She felt tiny and soft in his arms, though her continued shaking concerned him. “You’re safe, love. Relax. You’re safe.” She didn’t reply or respond in any discernable way. He looked down. Her eyes were tightly closed and she had rolled toward him, pressing her face into his shoulder. One of her arms wrapped around his waist, the other tucked up against her chest. She had to be cold. Luckily, they weren’t going far.
He landed on the railed redwood deck off the back of the house. Quickly dissolving his wings, he entered through the sliding glass door. He sent a pulse across the telepathic link he’d established with Bron.
What’s wrong? Bron responded. I thought you’d already gone home for the night.
Long story. Come quickly. One of the pods on guard duty attacked one of the females. Then realizing he hadn’t identified his location, he added, I’m at our house.
On my way.
LeAuntiez carried her into the living room and sat on the couch, unable to release her from his arms. He scanned her body, ensuring that she’d spoken truthfully. When he found no injuries beyond minor scrapes and superficial bruises, he lightly touched her mind and found a troubling mixture of fear, shame, and guilt. What did she have to feel guilty about?
Supporting her back with one arm, he stroked the side of her lovely face. “I know you’re frightened, sweetheart, but can you look at me?”
No response. Damn it.
Her skin was chilled from the flight, so he looked around for something with which to cover her. A small blanket was draped over the arm of Bron’s favorite chair, but it was just out of reach. With a reluctant sigh, he laid her down on the sofa and spread the throw blanket over her naked body. She curled up on her side, head pillowed on the padded end of the sofa, arms tucked up tight against her chest. LeAuntiez wasn’t sure if he should try to engage her, or just let her process the trauma in her own way. Gods, he hated being this helpless.
Bron arrived a few minutes later. He rushed across the room, but slowed as he saw the female on their couch. “Was she harmed?”
“Not physically, but I’m not sure the actual act would have been any worse.” Two seconds later and I would have been too late. He had his fucking cock out, ready to shove it inside her.
Bron’s hands closed into fists and anger rolled off him in malevolent waves. “Who did this?” His voice was so tight, so menacing, it sounded as if his teeth were clenched.
“They were in sector eight when I felt her fear. I don’t know if that’s where they were assigned or if they dragged her there.”
Bron thought for a moment then said, “If they weren’t assigned to sector eight then the sector eight guards would have stopped them. No. It was Wendar pod. This isn’t the first time they’ve fucked up. That’s why they were out there guarding the wasteland.”
“This was one hells of a fuck-up.” LeAuntiez glanced at his best friend then back at the female. Emotion banded his chest as violent images flashed through his mind. He wanted to kill each one of them slowly, painfully, until their screams echoed in his mind long after they were dead. He fought back the bloodlust and focused on his mate, his potential mate. She still had to accept him. “What’s her name?” LeAuntiez intentionally avoided the females, not wanting to be involved in the drama surrounding them. Bron didn’t have that option.
“Kyla Harms. Her roommate is the virgin that has been such a pain in my ass.”
Something in what Bron said penetrated Kyla’s stupor. She sat up, blinked repeatedly, and clutched the blanket to her chest. Her gaze was suddenly wide and alert. “Erin. She’s still out there. You have to find Erin!”
“Did those males also attack—”
“No,” she cut in. “She was gone by then.”
Bron hated being interrupted. However, the fearsome chancellor made an exception for their traumatized guest. His voice remained patient and calm. “Do you know where Erin is?”
“She’s in the wasteland on a skimmer.” Kyla cringed, obviously expecting Bron’s next reaction.
“What?” he snapped, clearly shocked by the revelation. “How the fuck did Erin get her hands on a skimmer?”
LeAuntiez was thrilled to see Kyla responsive again, but Bron’s temper could easily send her back behind her protective silence. “My men are on site already, Bron. I’ll tell Urrya to organize the search.” He was trying to calm his friend, but Kyla took exception.
“Can’t you go?” The pleading in her vivid green eyes made him consider it. “You can fly. That will make her much easier to find.”
“Urrya can fly, as well as some of the others. He is my brother. I trust him implicitly.”
After a tense pause, she accepted the decision with a nod. She glanced at Bron then back at him. “What will happen to those men?”
“You’re a potential mate.” My potential mate, LeAuntiez added silently. “Their lives were forfeit the moment they put their hands on you.”
“But they didn’t…”
“Only because I interrupted them.” LeAuntiez hadn’t intended to get into all this tonight. She needed to calm down, rest until she recovered enough to explain how it had transpired. Several elements of the situation didn’t make sense. “I saw what was about to happen. Are you sure you want to defend them?”
She pressed her lips together, then lowered her gaze and shook her head. “You’re right. They wouldn’t have stopped. They knew I wasn’t willing, but they didn’t care. They need to be punished. But I’m not sure death is appropriate in this case.”
“Meaning?” Bron crossed his arms over his chest, looking every millimeter the unrelenting chancellor.
“I sort of started it.” Her admission came after another tense pause.
Bron shifted to the edge of his seat, features tense and disapproving. “What were you doing in sector eight? Does this have something to do with Erin being in the wasteland?”
She nodded, her silky black hair swishing forward to shield her face from view.
This can wait, LeAuntiez insisted. She needs time to calm down.
She needs to tell me the godsdamn truth! Bron glared at him, nostrils flaring.
She will. Just not right now! LeAuntiez returned his glare, just as determined to back him off. “Let’s get you something to drink. Can you walk into the kitchen or shall I carry you?”
She looked up and made a face that illustrated her impatience. “I’m perfectly capable of walking.” Wrapping the blanket around herself as she rose, she was soon cocooned inside the soft material.
LeAuntiez led her into the kitchen and motioned for her to sit at the small table arranged near the bay windows. Bron loitered in the doorway, silent and brooding. No one did brooding better than Bronsen Savator.
“Coffee or tea?” LeAuntiez asked. If he hoped to have any chance of claiming Kyla, he had to tread carefully. Celestian courtships, like Ventori, could be intense. It was vital that she not associate his aggression with what she’d suffered tonight.
“I didn’t think the Ventori liked coffee.” She still sounded a bit dazed.
“I’m not Ventori.”
“Coffee, but not too strong. It upsets my stomach.”
He nodded once then turned toward the cupboards.
“If you’re not from Ventor, what planet are you from?”
“He’s Celestian,” Bron answered for him. “His planet was called Celestia. Like Ventor, and much of Earth, Celestia is no longer inhabitable thanks to the Skarilians.”
She turned her head and looked at Bron, drawing the blanket up under her chin. “A common enemy. Is that how a Celestian ended up in the Ventori Protectorate?”
“We collaborated on several offensives before it became an official alliance, but the answer to your question is yes. We are both driven by our determination to stop the Skarilians.” Bron’s voice deepened, became a sort of audible caress, yet LeAuntiez was relatively sure Bron wasn’t doing it intentionally.
A possibility slammed into LeAuntiez’s mind, one just fantastical enough to be true. If Bron and Kyla were genetically compatible, maybe that potential had inadvertently triggered LeAuntiez’s bonding instincts. Bron and LeAuntiez had formed a psychic link when they became podmates. As well as allowing them to speak mind to mind, the link was also empathic. Perhaps Bron’s connection to Kyla then triggered a similar desire in LeAuntiez. It would explain why a pureblood Celestian was suddenly aching to claim a human female. To LeAuntiez’s knowledge, such a thing had never happened before.
Clearly uncomfortable with Bron, Kyla turned back to him with a tentative smile. “Do all Celestians have wings? Yours are one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”
“Any Celestian can create what you saw, but they aren’t actually wings. Celestians can manipulate energy. When I want to fly, move very fast, or propel a large object, I disrupt the energy surrounding myself or the object. This results in the distortion you saw. We call it manifesting, and the ability can be used in any number of ways. Flight is just the most common.”
“Common?” She smiled as she shook her head. “There was nothing common about what you did tonight. Can you ‘manifest’ something now, maybe in a much smaller size? I’d love to see the phenomenon now that I’m less terrified.”
Shocked that he was indulging her, LeAuntiez cupped his hands, one on top of the other, and disrupted the energy inside the sphere. He slowly spread his fingers and moved his hands apart displaying the energy vortex he’d created. Light and color swirled and twisted. The effect looked similar to Earth’s aurora borealis. Sparks arced from the twisting mass to his hands, stinging his skin. The discomfort was well worth it when he saw the awe on Kyla’s lovely face.
“Wow. It’s even more beautiful than I remember.” She looked at his face, then back at the vortex, mesmerized by the colorful display.
He watched her reaction until his hands ached from the force of containing the energy, then he slowly tightened his hold, extinguishing the spinning ball. With a heavy sigh, he shook his hands, dislodging a fine layer of glittering ash.
Glancing at Bron, LeAuntiez found interest in his podmate’s gaze that hadn’t been there a few moments ago. If Bron and Kyla were compatible, rut wouldn’t engage until Bron touched her, but he definitely liked what he saw.
Why wouldn’t he? With silky black hair and big green eyes, Kyla was stunning. LeAuntiez had done his best to keep his thoughts and actions appropriate to the situation, but he was male and she was undeniably female. Her body was lushly curved and her skin was so soft he couldn’t wait to explore her.
Anxious to learn more about her, he filled the coffeemaker’s tank half full, then measured out the fragrant grounds. He turned on the primitive machine and leaned against the counter while he waited for the processed liquid to collect in the glass pitcher below.
Color had returned to Kyla’s cheeks and she seemed less afraid of Bron. Now that the crisis had been averted, LeAuntiez couldn’t help studying her more closely. Her features were delicate, well proportioned, with those thick-lashed green eyes and a small, straight nose. He’d yet to see her smile broadly, but her lips were full and he found their shape enticing.
With a predator’s patient stride, Bron slowly approached the table and sat facing her.
Kyla’s eyes widened and then she dropped her gaze to her lap. Her emotions were too convoluted for LeAuntiez to decide if respect or fear had triggered the reaction. Likely a bit of both. Bron was intimidating even when he wasn’t trying to be.
Smile at her, dumbass. LeAuntiez pushed the suggestion into his podmate’s mind. She’s frightened enough.
Bron cleared his throat and attempted a smile that ended up looking more like a grimace. “Did you know Erin before this began or were you thrown together by the kidnapping?”
“Which one?” She bit her bottom lip, flirting just a little. Clearly she wasn’t oblivious to Bron, just not sure how to approach him. “The drug lord’s men kidnapped me and Erin, and then LeAuntiez kidnapped me from them.”
“LeAuntiez rescued you.” Bron was scowling again.
LeAuntiez gave up trying to coach him and glared at the coffeemaker. Why was the damn thing taking so long?
She shrugged. “We were never free to leave, so I consider each a kidnapping.”
LeAuntiez smiled to himself, finding this spark of spirit reassuring.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Bron pointed out. If this was his attempt at small talk, he definitely needed practice.
“Sorry. I’ve known Erin since I was six. She was around two at the time and I basically played with her like she was my very own living doll.”
Bron’s dark brows scrunched together and his lips pressed into a disapproving line. “Erin’s parents allowed such… disrespect?”
“Erin’s parents were uninvolved, but my mother put a stop to it as soon as she figured out what I was doing. Of course by then it was too late. Erin followed me around like a shadow. I honestly think she thought I was her mother. She was that starved for attention. It was really sort of sad.” She shrugged away the past. “We’ve been inseparable ever since, much to my mother’s chagrin. You see, her kind weren’t supposed to socialize with our kind.”
“It sounds as if you spent most of your time together,” LeAuntiez commented rather than asking her to clarify her cryptic words. “Did Erin live nearby?”
“You could say that. Erin comes from money, generations and generations of money. My mom scrubbed their toilets and tried to keep us both out of sight.”
Ah, that’s what she’d meant by the ‘her and our’ comment.
“Your mother brought you along to her place of employment?” Bron was still confused by the logistics, but LeAuntiez had figured it out. He was well acquainted with the expectations of affluent families and their staff.
“Your mother was a fulltime domestic? She lived with Erin’s family?”
Kyla just nodded, but Bron muttered under his breath, “You would know.”
Like Erin, LeAuntiez’s family had been enormously wealthy for many generations.
Not that their lofty titles and sprawling estates protected them when the Skarilians attacked.
“Did you help Erin run away? Is that why you were in sector eight?” Bron asked after a long silent pause.
Well, technically this was later, but Bron knew damn well this isn’t what he’d meant. The bastard was avoiding his gaze as well. Clearly Bron knew this would irritate him.
“Yes.” She didn’t offer details.
“You were flirting with the guards to keep them distracted.” Bron’s tone was still even, but the muscle above where his jaws met twitched betraying his frustration.
“Yes, but that doesn’t excuse what they did.” She looked up as her tone grew more insistent.
“I agree with you,” he assured her. “I don’t care if you undressed right there in front of them. The moment you said no, they should have backed off.”
“I did not undress for them! They ripped my—”
“I never thought you did,” Bron stressed. “I was using it as an example.”
Her lips began to tremble again and LeAuntiez knew the next step was tears. He couldn’t take it when females cried, especially not this female. Hoping to interrupt her escalation, he quickly filled a mug with coffee and handed it to her.
She shifted her focus to take the mug and it seemed to help calm her. “Thank you. And I don’t mean for just the coffee. I know how close I came to being raped tonight.”
Her eyes were the same shade of green as the strands in Bron’s dark hair. LeAuntiez looked at Bron and found his gaze fixed firmly on Kyla. And Bron’s energy resonance, a vibration more individual than fingerprints or facial structure, shifted subtly, taking on an unusual rhythm. There was definitely something going on between the two.
Have you checked your compatibility score with any of the females?
Bron looked at LeAuntiez, a sly smile bowing his lips. Why do you ask?
You know damn well why I’m asking. Does she smell like your potential mate?
She smells amazing, he admitted, yet he didn’t seem adequately enthusiastic. Maybe he wasn’t convinced of what his olfactory center was telling him.
Find a way to touch her that won’t freak her out, LeAuntiez suggested. Your energy is modulating in a way I’ve never picked up on before.
Bron shook his head, though desire still burned in his gaze. The last thing I need right now is to go into rut. I’m definitely attracted to her, but it’s better if I keep my distance.
That would make LeAuntiez’s courtship easier, but they were a pod. LeAuntiez was relatively certain she was his soulmate. It was the only explanation for why he’d sensed her peril. And the most probable reason for why he’d reacted to her so strongly was his connection to Bron. If she were Bron’s mate as well, this could become something really special. Bron had a right to know why he was pushing.
I think she’s my soulmate.
“Seriously?” Bron blurted, disbelief clearly written on his face.
“You two can speak telepathically.” Kyla looked from him to Bron and back.
Did I say that out loud?
LeAuntiez shook his head with a helpless smile and sat in one of the two remaining chairs. “Yes, you spoke aloud,” he said to Bron, then to Kyla, “and yes we can speak mind to mind.”
“I didn’t think the Ventori were telepathic.” She held the blanket closed with one hand and grasped the mug with the other. At least she’d finally stopped shaking.
“We’re not, at least not most of us. LeAuntiez formed a link that allows us to pass thoughts to each other. The connection doesn’t work with anyone else.”
“And you still need practice, my friend. That was a rookie mistake,” LeAuntiez grumbled.
Bron actually relaxed enough to smile.
* * *
Kyla blew on the steaming coffee as she surreptitiously glanced at the two males across the table from her. Chancellor Savator, bold, ruthless, powerful. He literally eclipsed the chair on which he sat. All she could see was the spindly legs. And if Savator weren’t intimidating enough, she’d been rescued by LeAuntiez, commander of the Brokvata, most feared group of mercenaries ever assembled. Humans feared the Ventori, and the Ventori feared the Brokvata. She’d seen both of these icons, heard whispers and speculation about their personalities, but this was the first time she’d interacted with either of them.
The chancellor had a brooding quality as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders, which it basically was. His hair had a tendency to curl and emerald green threaded through the dark strands, creating an eye-catching combination that shimmered as he moved his head. The same vivid color formed thin serpentine lines in his eyes, a bright marbling among the endless black. The color wasn’t natural, but it suited him. Like all the Ventori, he was well over six feet tall with a body shaped by solid muscle and ropy sinew.
She shifted her gaze to LeAuntiez and felt the oddest fluttering in her belly. One look from Chancellor Savator and she instinctively dropped her gaze, even felt the irrational need to get on her knees. LeAuntiez, on the other hand, made it hard to look away. He was saved from being beautiful by the firmness of his jawline and a powerful chin. He was also very tall, yet his body was lean rather than bulky. His long blond hair and intense blue eyes reminded Kyla of the paintings she’d seen of angels, the kind of angels that brandished swords and charged headlong into battle.
Shame tugged at her consciousness, making her feel antsy and selfish. How could she sit here sipping coffee and ogling males while Erin was still in danger? LeAuntiez said he was going to send his brother after Erin, but Kyla had no way of knowing if he’d actually done so. He hadn’t activated a com-link or turned away while he spoke telepathically. In fact their conversation hadn’t lagged for even a minute.
Licking her lips, she forced herself to be brave. “Has Urrya seen any sign of Erin? I’m really worried about her.” There, that was better than an outright accusation.
For a fraction of a second LeAuntiez’s expression changed, almost went blank, then he shook his head. “He’s still looking, as are others on the ground.”
She nodded, having no real choice but to believe what he’d said. If he was lying, she’d find out soon enough.
LeAuntiez looked at her strangely then turned to the chancellor. “Bron, get Urrya on the com-link. Our guest doesn’t believe I actually made contact with him.”
“I didn’t say that,” she objected, but it was too late. The chancellor used the control panel implanted in his forearm to trigger audible communication. “Savator to Urrya, report.”
“No luck yet, sir. But she’s on a skimmer. She couldn’t have gone very far.”
“Understood. Carry on.” He started to deactivate the link then grinned at her, but his gaze remained cold. “Unless you have something else to ask him.”
“Thank you, but that wasn’t necessary.” She looked at LeAuntiez, confused by his reaction. “It was just a passing thought, so how did you know?” Then a disturbing possibility popped into her mind. “Are you reading my mind?”
“I’m empathic,” he told her. “There’s an important difference. I sensed your mistrust. I didn’t hear the specific thought.”
A secretive look passed between the two males that made her suspect there was more to the story, a lot more. LeAuntiez clearly had psychic abilities. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the details.
She finished the coffee in a few quick gulps as soon as it had cooled enough to guzzle. “I’m much calmer now. If you’ll just print me a uniform, I’ll go home.”
The chancellor reached across the table and took the mug from her hand, his fingers intentionally brushing over hers. She tensed. According to the orientation she’d undergone a couple of weeks ago, there was only one reason he’d touch her like that. He wanted to see if they were compatible enough to trigger ‘rut,’ Ventori slang for bonding fever. All she felt was the warmth of his skin, but that wasn’t unusual. Generally the male reacted first, and then his body manufactured pheromones that aroused the female. It was a process she had no desire to experience firsthand.
Her heart began to pound and panic bubbled up inside her. “I really should go.” If he was going to become sexually aggressive, she wanted to be very, very far away.
But he didn’t turn into a ravening beast. He walked across the kitchen and refilled her mug. She watched him closely, trying not to notice how well his uniform fit his muscular body, or how the threads of green in his hair shone. His shoulders were at least a mile wide, but his hips were narrow, creating a dramatic angle from armpit to hip. And his butt. Damn, the man had a nice ass. Was the rest of him equally impressive? Heat curled through her abdomen and gathered between her thighs, making her core feel empty and achy. Oh, no, this wasn’t good at all.
Her eyes widened and she looked at LeAuntiez. “What’s wrong with me?”
“Nothing. What you’re feeling is perfectly normal. Apparently your compatibility score with Bron is quite high. Usually for the female to feel the attraction it requires some sort of intimate interaction.”
“Will you please fly me home, right now? I don’t want any part of this.”
The chancellor set the mug down and slowly turned around, keeping the breadth of the kitchen between them. “I will never harm you, Kyla. In fact, I will never touch you again unless you want me to.”
But she already wanted him to touch her. She wanted him to push his cock deep inside her and fuck her so hard she couldn’t walk for a week. She shook her head. “I can’t be your mate. Erin would never forgive me.”
For some reason that made the chancellor laugh. “And Erin’s opinion is more important than yours?”
“Right now it is. I can’t think about anything else until I know she’s safe.”
“Fair enough.” He picked up the mug and handed it to LeAuntiez. “Give this to our mate. If I touch her again I’ll kiss her, and likely a whole lot more.”
“Understood.” LeAuntiez carefully passed her the mug, but it looked as if he were trying to avoid touching her too.
Wait a minute! The chancellor had said ‘our’ mate, not ‘my’ mate. “Do Celestians go into rut like the Ventori?” She wrapped her fingers around the mug, holding the blanket closed with the pressure of her arms.
“Something similar.” His voice sounded tense, almost mechanical.
“Then I’m… or rather we’re…”
“Yes, I believe you’re my soulmate. That’s why I sensed your fear.”
“Perfect.” She took a sip of coffee, trying not to lose what little remained of her composure. “I’m not going back to the women’s quarters anytime soon, am I?”
“No, love, you’re not.”
Tears started flowing again and the next thing she knew she was sitting on LeAuntiez’s lap and his strong arms held her snugly against him. “We’ll protect you and take care of you. You have nothing more to fear.”
She wanted to believe him, but her emotions were simply too raw. It felt wonderful to be sheltered in his embrace, yet she knew he wanted so much more than just to protect her.
Emotions tossed and churned inside her, building like a gathering storm. Her best friend was lost in the wasteland and Kyla had helped her escape. Three men would likely lose their lives and it was at least partly her fault. Now the two most powerful males in the Protectorate wanted to mate with her. It was too much. It was all just too damn much.
Hard racking sobs shook her shoulders as anguish and guilt pelted her from opposite sides. LeAuntiez rocked her, gently stroking her hair. But she couldn’t calm down, could barely breathe. She frantically sucked in a breath, but that just made her head spin. The room seemed to swell and then contract, pressing in on her until she wanted to scream. So she screamed. Inside her head the sound rang out over and over, but outwardly she just sobbed.
“Sleep, my love. Go to sleep,” LeAuntiez’s silken command dragged her into oblivion.
* * *
“Why in fuck did you knock her out?” Bron demanded as he watched Kyla go limp in LeAuntiez’s arms.
“She was hysterical,” LeAuntiez defended. “This will allow her to rest and calm down.”
“I don’t want her calm,” Bron grumbled, scrubbing one of his hands over the stubble on his chin. “I want her wild and willing, arching beneath me as I fill her with my cum.”
“Look up your score, make sure it’s the highest of Kyla’s matches. If not, you’ll cause an uprising among the men. They’re already complaining about how many of the mates have gone to commanders or a certain favored minister.”
It was true. Many of their friends had ended up with females, but the outcome had been largely circumstantial. The defenders had simply been in the right place at the right time. Still, LeAuntiez was right. If his score with Kyla wasn’t extremely high, it would cause an uproar. “Where are you taking her?”
“Upstairs.” He stood and shifted her higher against his chest. “I’ll put her in your bed if you promise not to touch her.”
“I already promised,” Bron snapped. “Don’t insult me again.”
A knowing smile curved LeAuntiez’s lips. “Go run a simulation. You’ll feel better.”
Bron didn’t want a pleasure simulation. He wanted the snug heat of his mate’s wet pussy or her soft mouth. One touch, a brief brushing of fingers, and he’d been hard as an alloy spike, ready to rip away the blanket and claim her right there on the kitchen table. He’d had to turn away, remove himself from the ongoing temptation of her pretty face and curvaceous body. Though finding a mate was every Ventori’s wildest dream, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Camp Accord, the first and only Ventori colony on Earth had only been open a few weeks and already they’d been attacked by rebels. The worst part was the rebels seemed to be Ventori, not human, or some combination of the two.
They’d identified the rebellion’s leader. Bron still couldn’t believe he was—or had been—part of the high command. Next to LeAuntiez and him, the six ministers were the most powerful members of the Protectorate. And former Minister Kniark Zapt had organized and executed not only the raid on Camp Accord, but a secret trafficking network. The network identified potential mates and sold them off-world, or bartered them to mercenaries in exchange for support in annihilating the Skarilians. Bron could support their long-term goal. He hated the Skarilians with every fiber of his being and knew they must be stopped. Still, he fervently disagreed with the means by which the rebels were advancing that cause.
Rhythmic thuds drew his attention to the stairs. He walked into the living room as LeAuntiez reached the bottom.
“One of my contacts just spotted Zapt in Dallas,” LeAuntiez informed him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
LeAuntiez didn’t wait for a reply. He ran out the front door and launched himself into the sky.
Bron secured the door LeAuntiez hadn’t bothered to close and longingly looked toward the stairs. How long would LeAuntiez’s command last? He’d promised not to touch Kyla, but he did not want her to wake up alone.
First he needed to verify their compatibility score. It would determine how aggressively, or if, he would pursue her.
He accessed the main database then launched the matching program. A split second later he had his answer. Ninety-nine point four. He wasn’t surprised, but he was pleased. He quickly verified that none of her other scores could compete, then closed the program and headed upstairs. As her number one match, he had the right to court her first. The others would have to wait until she officially refused him, or until the thirty-day trial period elapsed.
Blowing out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, Bron allowed himself to smile. He’d thought a mate would encumber him, make his already complicated life even more so. That was probably true, but the stress was incidental. Now that he’d found a nearly perfect match, claiming her was his top priority. How could he expect his men to embrace a program he wouldn’t participate in himself?
He slipped into his bedroom. LeAuntiez had placed Kyla on the bed without pulling down the covers. As she slept, she’d released the blanket and now it rested across her lower torso, revealing her breasts. He glanced at the full mounds with their dark pink nipples, unable to resist the temptation. He immediately dragged his hungry gaze back to her face. It didn’t matter. The image was locked in his mind. She wasn’t skin and bones, like so many of the human females. Kyla’s body looked soft, her curves generous. Her womanly shape was the perfect contrast to his battle-hardened form and LeAuntiez’s long, lean body.
She tossed restlessly, rolling onto her back and then to her other side. Her anxiety upset him, making it impossible to just stand there watching her suffer. He quickly pulled off his boots, then joined her on the bed, doing his best to honor his promise. He slipped one arm beneath her pillow and placed his hand on her hip, on top of the blanket. Though he was pressed against her, each millimeter of their bodies was separated by either his uniform or the blanket. He was stretching the concept, he knew, but she wiggled back into the curve of his body and gradually relaxed.